A Touch of Thanksgiving
by juliaspov
Summary: Dean and Sam have a Thanksgiving meal together. With a flashback of wee!chester just because they're cute. Standard Disclaimer...


The restaurant was abuzz with laughter and chatter as families, friends and couples, both young and old, enjoyed their meals. Holiday decorations at every turn added to the relaxed atmosphere and even the booth Sam and Dean were shown to had a festive holiday candle decoration set back against the wall. Dean just shook his head. Today was only just Thanksgiving but anyone would mistake it for a lot closer to Christmas. It seemed that Christmas got earlier and earlier every year.

He turned his attention back to the perky waitress and listened as she was telling them that the special for the day was a traditional turkey dinner with potatoes, gravy, dressing and green beans. There was also pumpkin pie for desert. Seeing as how it was Thanksgiving both men ordered the special and coffee.

Sam was fiddling with his napkin before breaking the silence that had fallen over the table as the waitress withdrew. 'Dean, what does Thanksgiving mean to you?'

Dean halted in his survey of the restaurant. He had already noted the emergency exits in close proximity to the Impala in case he needed to grab his weapons and had turned his attention to the other patrons of the restaurant, not really expecting to find any demons or anything, but you can never be too careful. 'What, do you mean like besides the pie?'

The younger man huffed a small laugh. 'Yeah, besides the pie.'

Dean could feel a chick flick type moment coming on from a mile away and this one was barrelling down on him fast, but what was he suppose to do? This was his baby brother just asking an innocent question, nothing too damaging to his male macho-ness. 'Well I haven't really thought about it much. It's always been just a regular day for us. You know, the three Winchester men hanging out together, or out ganking some ghost or exercising a demon. It's never really been set apart from other days except that everyone seems to expect you to eat turkey, have pie, and watch football.'

Dean watched as his brother nodded his head slowly, accepting what Dean said. The younger man didn't seem upset or worried that the Winchesters didn't celebrate Thanksgiving the same way that 'normal' families did which made Dean relax a little. He sometimes worried that Sam tried to fight too hard to be what other people would consider normal. How could he explain to Sam that no matter what they did they were still a family, definitely not a normal family, but still a family and that was all that mattered.

'So what brought this on?'

Sam looked up from his contemplation of the holiday candle, unlit of course with no wick visible, it wouldn't do to have a fire hazard sitting on every table, 'I was just thinking about the first Thanksgiving that I really remember as being Thanksgiving. I must have been four or five.' At Dean's encouraging look Sam continued. 'I don't know where we were, someplace cold because I remember that there was snow on the ground and I was worried that dad wouldn't make it back in time for dinner. There was some old woman who tried to distract me by letting me wash vegetables and help set the table.'

Dean laughed at that. 'Cheap slave labour.'

'Yeah, but I was paid with a cookie and a hug.' There was a smile on Sam's face at the memory. 'We must have been staying at a bed and breakfast or something because when it came time to sit down for the meal there were other people there as well. Dad still hadn't come back by the time the old woman brought in the huge turkey and set it in the middle of the table.' His expression grew thoughtful and turned inward.

Dean recognized that look. It was that same look that Sam always got when he was trying to learn something or trying to grasp a concept or idea that was just slightly out of his reach, the intense look he wore when he was trying to remember something important.

Sam's voice was distant. 'I remember that she had us all hold hands while she said a prayer.'

o0O Flashback O0o

'Thank you, Lord, for the bounty that is set before us that we may share with our friends and family.'

_Dean pulled his hand out of his brother's tight grip. Eight year old men did not hold hands with their baby brother unless, of course, they were helping him to cross a street. Sammy shot him a petulant pout and crossed his arms angrily across his small chest. _

'We pray that the health and safety we have here today will continue throughout the coming year but we also give thanks for that which we have at this moment.'

_Dean glanced around at all the bowed heads and almost managed to snag one of the homemade dinner rolls unnoticed before Sammy grabbed his hand again and whispered, 'we hafta hold hands 'cause we're prayin and sayin thanks.'_

'We thank you for the love in our hearts and the happiness that we share.'

_Dean tried to shake off his little brother but he was more clingy than that garden slug he had found last summer. 'How do you know we hafta hold hands to pray, you never prayed before,' he whispered as he finally shook loose from the clinging grip. That's when he noticed the tears welling up in his baby brothers eyes. _

'Thank you for providing us with the things we need such as food, shelter, sun and smiles.'

_Guilt and resignation washed over Dean as he watched the tears spill from those wide hazel eyes and the little hands clenching into fists on the table. He rolled his eyes, may as well get it over with, they were the only family each other had at that moment. At least Sammy was a good kid and it was only one prayer. _

'And most of all, Lord, we thank you for the ability to make another person's life a little happier when we meet each other.'

_Dean reached out his hand and set it near Sammy's, stretching out one finger to make contact with his little brother's fist. It was as close to holding hands as he was going to get, but it seemed to be an acceptable alternative judging by the sunny, albeit watery smile his baby brother sent his way. Family, they had to stick together._

'Today, on this day for giving thanks, Lord, we say Thank You.'

o0O End Flashback O0o

'Just then dad walked in from outside and all I could think about was thanking God for bringing my daddy home.'

'I remember that day.' Dean smiled at his little brother. 'It was a good day.'

The chick flick moment was cut short as the waitress placed their meals in front the them, and with their assurance that they didn't need anything else, she quickly left them to enjoy their meal.

Sam shifted uncomfortably in his seat drawing Dean's attention away from his food. With a little flush of embarrassment Sam cleared his throat. 'Would you mind if I said a short prayer? Before we eat... I mean... You don't have to… but since, you know, it's Thanksgiving and all.'

Seeing that it meant a lot to Sam, Dean shrugged a nod before turning his attention back to his food while watching his little brother from beneath his lashes.

Sam rested both forearms along each side of his plate and bowed his head, his fingers curled loosely under his hands towards the middle of the table. 'Thank you, Lord, for letting me share this meal with my family. Thank you for watching over us and supporting us through times of trial and hardship.'

The words caught in his throat as he felt a gentle nudge against his hand. Peeking up he saw that Dean had his hand set near Sam's on the table, one finger stretched out to make contact with the younger man's hand. Other than that Dean appeared intent on his meal, making little roads of gravy in his mashed potatoes.

Sam cleared his throat trying to speak through the emotion that had suddenly welled up inside of him. 'Together with my family, today, on this day for giving thanks, Lord, we say Thank You.'

Amen

* * *

A/N: Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving everyone!


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